Crooked Hayes Copse

The woodland around Ashurst has a particular quality to it - damp, mossy, properly atmospheric - and Crooked Hayes Copse captures that feeling without requiring you to trek into the depths of the New Forest. The place is small, which sounds like a criticism but isn't. You get ancient woodland character in a manageable pocket-sized parcel, with gnarled oaks and the kind of dense undergrowth that makes you feel like you've actually left civilisation behind.

It's the sort of spot walkers pass through rather than make a specific pilgrimage to, and that's fine. There's no admission charge, no visitor centre, no car park with ice cream vans - just woodland as it comes. Allow thirty minutes to an hour if you're moving slowly and poking about. Families with young kids will find it pleasant enough for a short ramble, though there's nothing to specifically occupy a restless seven-year-old beyond the usual fallen logs and stick opportunities.

The real value shows itself if you're basing yourself at one of the nearby campsites - Ashurst Campsite is barely a couple of miles away, while Matley Wood and Roundhill both sit within reasonable driving distance. Pop over in the evening when the light starts getting low and the trees look properly moody, or first thing on a quiet morning. It works as a palate-cleanser between bigger New Forest walks rather than a destination in itself, but that's precisely why it's worth knowing about.